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Affordable Care Act Upheld by U.S. Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the majority of the tenets of the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act is a law that aims to improve our current health care system by increasing access to health coverage for Americans and introducing new protections for people who have health insurance.

CCFA and its members have advocated for insurance reforms supporting increased access to care and therapies for all people with IBD and their families. The reforms in the Affordable Care Act reflect this important work. These changes, all of which were upheld in the Supreme Court ruling, include:

Ending the practice of rescissions (canceling a policy because a person becomes ill)

Coverage for children up to age 26 on their parent's insurance

A prohibition on lifetime benefit caps

In 2014, additional provisions will be in place, including:

Coverage for all persons with preexisting conditions

A prohibition on annual benefit caps

Our job is not done -- the debate on health reform will continue during the next several years, particularly during the upcoming election season. CCFA will continue to monitor legislative activities regarding healthcare reform, and actively support changes that benefit all individuals with chronic health care problems. We encourage our advocates to remain alert and involved as events develop -- if you are not a CCFA advocate, join our advocacy network now! If you are not familiar with the Affordable Care Act, learn more about the health care options and benefits available to you at www.Healthcare.gov.